“The Georgian Dream, through its closed, coercive political discourse, is shortening its own path to the Hague Tribunal whilst leaving the Georgian state mired in a severe political crisis,” Irakli Kupradze, a member of Lelo–Strong Georgia, has declared.

According to Kupradze, until Georgian Dream is compelled to come to the negotiation table, the country will remain submerged in a sea of grave risks, and it is those risks that Lelo seeks to guard against through its own responsible stance.

“Georgian Dream and Ivanishvili, heading as they are towards the Hague Tribunal, have declared that they are not prepared for dialogue on the issues that represent the only possible way out of this crisis. Those issues are the release of political prisoners and, secondly, the holding of free and fair parliamentary elections in this country. Through their closed, coercive political discourse, they are shortening their own path to the Hague Tribunal and, in so doing, are leaving the Georgian state trapped in a severe political crisis. The plain reality is that until Georgian Dream is forced to sit at the negotiation table, something every political actor must signal their readiness for, this country will remain submerged in a sea of grave risks. Shielding it from those risks is what Lelo must do through its own responsible, statesmanlike declaration and position. We will not abandon this position until, together with the Georgian people, we compel Ivanishvili to come to the negotiation table, to step back, to release the political prisoners, and to call new, free, and fair parliamentary elections,” Irakli Kupradze stated.

Kupradze also addressed the matter on social media.

“‘There is nothing to discuss with Lelo,’ said Papuashvili, who is himself heading towards the Hague Tribunal. Georgian Dream is shortening its own path to the Hague with its own statements. The regime will be compelled to enter into dialogue and negotiations with the population of Georgia and with its political forces, to release the political prisoners, and to call new elections. Lelo’s statement was not made for Papuashvili’s benefit; our statement is a doctrine: how to lead this country out of the political dead end into which the likes of Papuashvili have driven it, leaving it exposed and defenceless in the face of international threats,” Kupradze wrote on his Facebook page.

For context, on March 15, following a meeting of the party leaders’ council, Lelo–Strong Georgia issued a statement declaring that responsible political negotiations must begin between Georgian Dream and those opposition parties which secured the support of the majority of Georgia’s population in the 2024 parliamentary elections. According to Lelo’s statement, the way out of the current political crisis lies in reaching an agreement on the holding of new, free, and fair parliamentary elections, and that, in parallel, the release of political prisoners is essential.

In response, Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili stated that the Georgian authorities have no intention of being drawn into the radical groups’ trafficking in people and democracy.